Pate Captures Lead In The International

Golf - The Beat

Steve Pate capitalized on a 5-point eagle to forge a narrow first-round lead Thursday in the PGA's The International in Castle Rock, Colo.

Pate finished with 11 points under the modified Stableford scoring system used in this event. He was a point ahead of Billy Mayfair and Rich Beem.

Duffy Waldorf, Australian John Senden, Heath Slocum, Hank Kuehne and Jeff Quinney were at 9. British Open champion Ernie Els was in a group at 8, and Sergio Garcia had a furious finish of birdie-eagle-birdie to get to 7.

Players earned 5 points for eagle, two for birdie, zero for par, minus-1 for bogey and minus-3 for double bogey or worse.

Els, a Lake Nona resident, withdrew from next week's Buick Open.

INKSTER LENDS A HAND

Juli Inkster would have preferred to spend this week at home with her family. Or maybe even in Scotland, battling horizontal rain and cold temperatures while she prepared for next week's Weetabix Women's British Open.

Driven by the responsibility of supporting a fledgling tournament with a powerful sponsor, the reigning U.S. Open champion stayed behind to play in the Wendy's Championship for Children in Dublin, Ohio.

Only two other players in the top 10 in the money rankings are also in the 144-player field of the 54-hole tournament that begins today.

GILDER ON A ROLL

Bob Gilder has won the past two Senior PGA Tour events in playoffs -- one extra hole over Hale Irwin at the SBC Senior Open and three extra holes over John Mahaffey at the FleetBoston Classic. "I'm on a roll and I want to ride it while I can," Gilder said. The Long Island Classic begins in Jericho, N.Y., today.

MCDOWELL LEADS IN SWEDEN

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell shot a course record 7-under-par 64 for a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the Scandinavian Masters at Kungsangen Golf Club in Stockholm, Sweden.

DELSING HAS 1-STROKE EDGE

Jay Delsing took a 1-stroke lead with a 66 after the first round of the Buy.com Omaha Classic in Nebraska.

UF GOLFER 3RD

University of Florida golfer Camilo Villegas is in third place, three strokes behind the leaders, at the 100th annual Western Amateur in Benton Harbor, Mich., after two rounds.